Wild Animals

Corn Bunting Welfare and Lowland Farming

The corn bunting is one of the most severely declined farmland birds in Europe, with populations crashing by over 90% in some countries, making its welfare a critical indicator of agricultural ecosystem health.

Key Facts

Corn bunting populations have declined by more than 80% across the UK since 1970
Males are polygynous and may have up to 18 females in one territory in optimal habitat
The species requires late-cut cereal fields and weedy set-aside land for nesting and winter feeding
Corn buntings are now extinct in Ireland and Wales and localised to eastern England and Scotland
Their jangling song, likened to the sound of rattled keys, is increasingly rare in the British countryside

Welfare Considerations

Corn buntings suffer acutely from the homogenisation of arable farmland. The switch from spring to autumn-sown cereals eliminated the weedy stubble fields they depend on in winter. Nest losses are high due to mechanical harvesting before chicks fledge. Reduced arthropod abundance from pesticide use affects chick survival, as young buntings need insect protein. The welfare implications extend across the winter months when food scarcity drives high mortality.

What You Can Do

Support targeted agri-environment payment schemes that retain spring cereals and weedy margins
Campaign for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to prioritise biodiversity outcomes
Donate to RSPB and local wildlife trusts implementing corn bunting recovery projects
Record corn bunting sightings on BTO BirdTrack during winter surveys to aid population tracking